Wire-tightener.



No. 642ml. Patented Jan. 30, I900. P. FBANTZ.

WIRE TIGHTENER.

(Application filed Nov. 5, 1898,) (No Model.)

llllllllllllllllil n will" b! Hhlll l Warren ST TES PATENT PETER FRANTZ, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS.

WIRE-TIGHTENER.

SYGECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 642,101, dated January 30, Application filed November 5, 1898. Serial No. 695,573. (No model.)

To aZZ 2071.072 it may concern.-

Beit known that I, PETER FRANTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sterling, in the county of \Vhiteside and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful VVire-Tightener, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in wire-tighteners.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of wire-tighteners and to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device adapted to be used either as a mid-wire take-up and arranged on a wire between two fence-posts or to be mounted on the posts for stretching a wire from those points.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire-stretcher capable of being readily mounted on a fence-post without perforating the same for the passage of the fence-wires and adapted to be arranged on the same side of the post as the fence-wires in order to avoid projecting it over a roadway where it might be broken or otherwise injured through contact with a vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ratchet mechanism which will not be affected by rust and which may be readily operated after the wire-tightener has been exposed to the weather for a long time.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a wire-tightener constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, oartly in section, showing the same applied to a fence-post. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the pawl, showing the engaging portions thereof. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the bearing portions of the pawl. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of the key.

Like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the draw ings.

1 designates a substantially U shaped frame having parallel sides provided at their terminals with bearing openings receiving journals 2 of a spool or Windlass 3, and the latter is provided at the inner faces of the sides of the frame with annular series of ratchet-teeth 4, formed on annular flanges and providinga pair of ratchet-wheels. The space between the ratchet-wheels is adapted to receive a fence-wire to enable the same to be wound around the spool or Windlass, which is provided with opposite openings 5, by means of which the ends of a fence-wire may be readily attached to the device. One of the journals of the spool or Windlass is extended and squared to provide a Wrench-receiving portion 6, which is adapted to be engaged by any ordinary wrench for rotating the spool or Windlass.

The ratchet-wheels are engaged by an ec centrically-mounted pawl 7, extending across the space between the sides of the frame near the bend thereof and provided at its front face with oppositely-disposed flanges or enlargements having convexly-curved series of teeth 8, arranged to engage the ratchet-teeth of the spool or Windlass, whereby the same may be locked against backward rotation. The pawl is provided between the curved seseries of teeth with a horizontal opening, and it has depending lugs 9 located beneath the curved series of teeth and forming continuations of the flanges or enlargements. These depending lugs form weights for holding the pawl normally in engagement with the spool or Windlass, and they also serve as stops to limit the backward swing of the pawl.

The rear face of the pawl is provided with opposite flanges 10, located adjacent to the sides of the frame and provided with bearingrecesses 11,which receive a transverse pin 12, connecting the sides of the frame and passing through registering perforations thereof. The pawl, which is eccentrically mounted, is loosely arranged on the transverse pin or pivot and interposed between the same and the ratchet-wheels, it being retained in such position by its curved series of ratchet-teeth and by the depending lugs. The forward or downward movement of the upper portion of the pawl is limited by the engaging portions coming in contact with the ratchet-wheels, and the upward or backward movement is limited by the said lugs.

The back or bend of the U-shaped frame is provided with a pair of oppositely-disposed horizontal slots 13, receiving hooked ends of a loop 14, which is adapted to encircle afencepost 15, whereby the wire-tightener is applied to the same without providing perforations for the passage of a fence-wire. The loop, which is substantially circular, may be of any form to conform to the configuration of a round, square, or other shaped fence-post, and its terminals are bent inward to provide hooks 16, the bends of which extend into the frame, forming eyes, which are engaged by a key 17, whereby the loop is attached to the frame. The loop is detachably secured to the wiretightener by the key, which is substantially U-shaped, and which is held in place by the tension on the device. The wire-tightener is arranged on the same side of the fencepost as the fence-wires, and it does not project outward from the posts over a roadway, so that it will not be struck by a vehicle and broken or otherwise injured.

The invention has the following advantages: The wire-tightener, which is simple and inexpensive in construction, possesses great strength and durability, and it is adapted to be arranged either at the ends of a fence on the posts thereof or at a point intermediate of the ends of a fence-wire to serve as a mid-wire take-up. The ratchet mechanism is unaffected by rust, so that the device will operate readily after it has been exposed to the weather for a long time. The means employed for attaching the device to a fence-post are simple and arrange the device on the side of the post adjacent to the ends'of the fence-wires, so that the device will not be exposed and be liable to be broken through contact with a vehicle. This attaching device also obviates the necessity of perforating a fence-post for the passage of fence-wires, which is a decided advantage, as wooden posts corrode fence-wires and render them useless in a short time.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim is- 1. A wire-tightener comprising aframe, a spool or Windlass journaled on the frame and providedwith a ratchet-wheel, a transverse pivot spaced from the spool or Windlass, and an eccentrically-arranged pawl provided at its rear edge with a recess loosely receiving the pivot, said pawl being provided at its front edge with a conveXly-curved series of teeth engaging the ratchet-wheel, substantially as described.

2. A wire-tightener comprising a frame, a spool or Windlass journaled on the frame and provided at opposite sides thereof with I with the ratchet-wheel, and arranged to limit the backward swing of the pawl, substantially as described.

4. A wire-tightener comprising a frame, a

spool or Windlass journaled on the frame and provided at opposite sides thereof with ratchet-wheels, a transverse pivot arranged in rear of the spool or Windlass, and an ec centrically-arranged pawl loosely journaled on the pivot, provided with upper engaging portions to interlock with the ratchet-wheels and having depending lugs forming weights and adapted to limit the swing of the pawl, substantially as described.

5. A wire-tightener comprising a frame, a spool or Windlass mounted on the frame and provided with ratchet-wheels, a transverse pivot, and a pawl provided at its back with bearing-recesses to receive the pivot and having engaging portions at its front to interlock with the ratchet-wheels, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a wire stretcher having aframe provided at its back with op posite slots or openings, of an open substantially U-shaped loop arranged horizontally and adapted to encircle a fence-post and having its ends bent on themselves, arranged within the slots or openings and forming eyes, and a key engaging the eye and detachably connecting the loop and the wire-stretcher, substantially as described.

7. The combination ofa wire-tightener having an open frame provided at its back with opposite slots,an open substantially U-shaped loop arranged horizontally and adapted to be placed around apost and provided at its ends with hooks or eyesextending through the said slots, and a substantially U-shaped key engaging the eyes or hooks, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

PETER FRANTZ.

WVitnesses:

M. W. TOBEY, O. H. TUTTLE. 

